The CPS Media Arts program offers a wide array of classes and clubs, a work-study program, and school-wide collaborations. Housed in the Media Arts Studio on the CRLS campus, CEATV, Media Arts Studio, and RSTA Media Technology programs provide in school and after school media arts education for the district.
Completed work is shown on our two Cambridge cable channels, streamed on our web site, and archived on the CPS MediaCAST student portal.
The Media Arts Studio opened in 2005 with what was state-of-the-art equipment at that time. But much has changed since then, and this spring we began the complicated process of upgrading our studio to a high definition, fully digital environment. The end result is everything we could hope for to better educate our students for the media making world of today.
Digital Film and TV/ Media Technology/ Music Video | Dacia Antunes
Students in all classes have completed units in the new HD studio, where they have learned how to operate HD cameras, control a teleprompter, adjust lighting so their actors are properly lit, cut between different cameras and roll in still or moving image. Many students use the studio to record various parts of their projects, music videos, and narrative shorts. All freshmen that rotate through the Media Arts Studio during Exploratory spend at least one day of their rotation learning the aspects of recording in a television studio. Students are very excited about learning the new equipment, as well as experiencing, many for the first time, how television shows are made.
Media Journalism/ Sports Reporting/ Visualizing Science/Experimental Media | Angelica Brisk
The Media Journalism and Sports Reporting classes have already recorded ten shows in the studio. There is a steep learning curve for the new equipment and lots of problem solving, but the beautiful results of these shows motivate students to come up with creative ways to tell news stories. Our next round of shows will be taped as if they were live adding a new dimension of professional skills; problem solving, staying calm, good communication, and team coordination.
Music Composition/Production | Ross Matthei
The Media Arts Studio is now a fully functional sound and music studio that compares well to that of professional environments. We’ve already dug in deep, recording and composing using these new digital tools and we’ll continue to explore all of the new functionality at our disposal as our curriculum progresses. We’re very excited to have the ability to record and mix full ensembles, conduct sound-for-moving-image sessions such as ADR and Foley and to be able to record instrumental and vocal groups performing for films made by our fellow MAS peers. The Media Arts Studio looks great, but sounds even better.
After School Program/ Youth View Cambridge | Josh Arevalo
In the after school program we have brought together a wide array of students, both experts and amateurs in the field of media broadcasting. Together with a group of mentors, we record the CRLS and Cambridge community story through the eyes of our athletes, performers, student activists, special guests and the person on the street. All of this work comes together in Youth View Cambridge (YVC), our feature show created by students for students. YVC, now in its 10th season, and we have completed four new episodes with many stories about the ins/outs of the school experience. Our goal in the after school program is simple: give students the tools of the industry and the guidance of teachers and everything else is up to the student. They must bring the story and do the work, only they can tell the story of the world around them.
Our wish to upgrade our television studio to the latest in HD technology for our Media Arts program has been fulfilled. The new studio design is a full high definition, three camera digital studio with file based recording, clip playback and graphics. With a 46” multivue display at the center, and students at the controls as directors and audio, graphics and teleprompter station operators, we have begun a new season of amazing student produced media. Stay tuned to our cable channels and web site stream. Or visit the CPS MediaCAST student portal for viewing on demand.